The Challenges Facing Israel
Israel has been growing in population and strength and will become an important country in the Middle East.
By Leland E Pulley
In 1948, by a vote in the United Nations, the country of Israel was officially established in the Middle East. It was given a very small portion of land on the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. The major city was Jerusalem.
Despite this UN action, Arab countries in this area did not like the establishment of Israel. They did not like the United Nations decision, and most Arabs have not fully accepted it even today.
War broke out in 1948 between Israel and a few Arab neighbors. Israel survived this war and continued to grow and prosper. In the many years since then, there have been other wars and Israel has grown more powerful.
On October 7, 2023 another war between Israel and Arabs began. It involved the Gaza Area. This area is a small and narrow stretch of land between Israel and the Mediterranean Sea. It is inhabited primarily by Arabs calling themselves Palestinians. In 2005 these Palestinians were allowed to live in their own area and decide who their rulers would be. Unfortunately, an Arab terrorist organization called Hamas got control of the country and has maintained it until today. Hamas is supported by Iran and receives much assistance from Iran. Hamas established a complex underground tunnel system in which to transport supplies and people.
Hamas thought they were prepared to declare war against Israel. Hamas soldiers entered Israel and killed hundreds of people, primarily Jews. Over 200 prisoners were taken by Hamas out of Israel and back into the Palestinian area. These hostages were to be used as weapons in two ways. Hamas could exchange Israeli hostages for Hamas prisoners held in Israel and this has been done. Also, hostages could be utilized to get Israel to agree to a temporary cease-fire. This would allow Hamas to regroup and rearm.
This war is now more than a year old, and the Jews are winning. This is urban warfare. There is much destruction of buildings and homes. The strategy of Hamas is to use the people of Palestine as human shields. Any destruction by the Israeli army in Palestine can be used to gain sympathy on the world stage. This has been effective in many ways.
The government of Israel has declared that it will fight Hamas until their organization is destroyed. After that Israel will control the Gaza area. It should be recognized that any two-state solution between Israel and Palestine would be a temporary solution. Arabs expect Israel to be driven out or killed.
It must be recognized that most people in Gaza support Hamas. Likewise, the people in the West Bank of the Jordan River area, also support groups like Hamas. Children from a young age are taught to dislike Israel. They are told Israel has no right to have land in the Middle East.
On the north side of Israel another Arab terrorist group called Hezbollah has been fighting against Israel. The fighting with Hamas and Hezbollah has slowed down in recent weeks because the IDF or Israel Defense Forces have been winning the battles. A tentative cease fire seems to be in place but may not last.
In the Red Sea area another terrorist group called Houthis, operating out of Yemen, has been firing missiles at ships heading towards the Suez Canal. The goal is to cause problems for Israel and indirectly support other Arabs like Hamas.
Iran is responsible for most fighting in the Middle East. All three groups mentioned above have ties back to Iran. It is the real enemy. Until Iran changes its negative influence in the Middle East, peace will not be achieved.
With social and religious conditions as they are, there is little hope for long-term peace in this area of the world. Israel must defeat these three groups and attack Iran also. With a successful attack against Iran already done, the hope is for Iran to seek peace. Recently Israel used a new spy plane to locate targets in Iran and give this information to the air force. A lot of damage was done to military targets in Iran.
The United States supports Israel and its right to exist. But to most Arabs in the area, Israel must be destroyed.
Christians generally support Israel. They know that Israel is the real owner of land in that area. The Bible supports this. Abraham was given the whole area for his descendants. The Israelites lived in this region for many centuries before the birth of Jesus. After the dispersion of the Jews by the Romans in the first century AD, the Jews have lived in several countries. They have always sought a return to the place of their fathers.
Unfortunately, there will be more conflicts in the future. Israel will win some, but there will be many people killed. However, the Jews will never leave their capital or Jerusalem entirely. Before Jesus Christ comes to the entire world in his second coming, He will come to the Jews. Yes, He will then show them the marks on his hands and feet from his crucifixion. He will prepare an escape for them. The Mount of Olives will split open to produce a means for this. Then He will join the Jews in their fight and eventually destroy their enemies. More information on this can be found in the Bible and other scriptures found in True Religion today.
The sad thing is both Jews and Arabs are spiritual brothers and sisters. The men and women in each group were male and female spirits in premortal life. Both groups came to this earth to experience mortality. This is true for every group, tribe, nation, race, and so forth. Eventually, all of us will pass through physical death, enter the spirit world, and finally be resurrected. We will be judged on an individual basis and end up in one of the three kingdoms of glory – namely the Telestial (lowest), Terrestrial (middle), and Celestial (highest). Be optimistic! In the long run, good will overcome evil, and we will all live happily in a kingdom of glory that is right for each of us.
I pray for Israel and good Arabs (not terrorists), and hope peace can come to this area of the world.
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